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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: maureen39 on Wednesday 24 March 10 14:42 GMT (UK)
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Im trying to find my Grt Grandfathers Printing Business. (Printer and Compositer)
The Family moved to Levenshulme in 1885 and were still there on the 1891 Census.
There was a child born in 1897 in Leeds so they could still have been living in Levenshulme up and until 1896 ish.
According to information I have he worked in Preston and also Manchester so the business could have been in Levenshulme Preston or Manchester or a place around those areas.
As far as I know the business was called Ramshaw and Knowles,or visa versa, as I understand he was in partnership. Knowles could also be spelt differently.
I would be grateful for any help or advice as I dont know where to look.
The Business eventually broke up, could have gone bankrupt! I dont know.
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Sorry, I had a look in the Gale collection of newspapers, but couldn't find anything. If they went bankrupt they ought to be in the London Gazette, claytonbradley
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Nothing in Historical directories (www.historicaldirectories.org) for Lancashire 1890s, 1900s, 1910s apart from a John Ramshaw and Son, Druggist in Preston in 1917.
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Hi,
On the 1891 and 1901 census he states he was Employed and not an Employer so he must have set up his business after that in Leeds, if that is where he stayed or perhaps it was a quite shortlived partnership and inbetween a census. Have you checked the 1911 census to see if he was listed as an Employer?
Regards,
Mo
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Sorry, I had a look in the Gale collection of newspapers, but couldn't find anything. If they went bankrupt they ought to be in the London Gazette, claytonbradley
Thank you for looking, I will see if I can get to look in the London Gazette.
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Nothing in Historical directories (www.historicaldirectories.org) for Lancashire 1890s, 1900s, 1910s apart from a John Ramshaw and Son, Druggist in Preston in 1917.
Thanks for looking in the directories and also for the link to the historical directories
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Hi,
On the 1891 and 1901 census he states he was Employed and not an Employer so he must have set up his business after that in Leeds, if that is where he stayed or perhaps it was a quite shortlived partnership and inbetween a census. Have you checked the 1911 census to see if he was listed as an Employer?
Regards,
Mo
Hi Mo, thanks for noticing the 1891 census showing he was employed.
That narrows it down a bit, so if he went bankrupt it was before that date.
He didnt have a business in Leeds, it was definitely Lancashire.
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There is no entry for any printer called Ramshaw in the Kelly's Directory for Lancashire in 1924.
There is one for Knowles, Chas. 72, Darwen Street, Blackburn and another for Knowles H Ward & Co. Model Press, Bull Bridge, Accrington and that's it I'm afraid.
[Modified] Just found an entry in the 1913 Trade Directory for Preston, Barrow & District:
Printers
Knowles W H 53, Berry lane, Longridge
but still no Ramshaw
jds1949
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Hello Maureen,
Thought I would put my "twopennyworth" in as well , but it can easily be disregarded.
The Slaters 1895 Directory for Manchester has a printing firm shown twice .
CHORLTON and KNOWLES printers , lithographers,engravers and accounts .
17 Mosley Street
Newton Street mill ,
presumably Manchester.
Steuart KNOWLES of CHORLTON and KNOWLES printers.
34 Broomfield Road , Heaton Moor .
I would think that this would be his home address.
Heaton Moor today is in Stockport but borders on with Levenshulme and I think that Broomfield Road is very close to it . Boundaries may change though.
If your man is'nt called Steuart then you can disregard it .
Regards
Eric :)
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There is no entry for any printer called Ramshaw in the Kelly's Directory for Lancashire in 1924.
There is one for Knowles, Chas. 72, Darwen Street, Blackburn and another for Knowles H Ward & Co. Model Press, Bull Bridge, Accrington and that's it I'm afraid.
[Modified] Just found an entry in the 1913 Trade Directory for Preston, Barrow & District:
Printers
Knowles W H 53, Berry lane, Longridge
but still no Ramshaw
jds1949
Thank you for your search, it would have been before those dates though as he was living in Leeds in 1901 and working for the Yorkshire Post.
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Hello Maureen,
Thought I would put my "twopennyworth" in as well , but it can easily be disregarded.
The Slaters 1895 Directory for Manchester has a printing firm shown twice .
CHORLTON and KNOWLES printers , lithographers,engravers and accounts .
17 Mosley Street
Newton Street mill ,
presumably Manchester.
Steuart KNOWLES of CHORLTON and KNOWLES printers.
34 Broomfield Road , Heaton Moor .
I would think that this would be his home address.
Heaton Moor today is in Stockport but borders on with Levenshulme and I think that Broomfield Road is very close to it . Boundaries may change though.
If your man is'nt called Steuart then you can disregard it .
Regards
Eric :)
I dont have a definite name for the business only what I have been told by his grandaghter and that was "Ramshaw and Knowles", I suppose its possible he may have been just a working partner so maybe Ramshaw wouldnt show, but the second one you have looks quite promising as the Ramshaw family lived at no 3 Broom Lane Levenshulme.
The story goes that the business didnt work for him and he ended up a very bitter man! so who knows, maybe he had a disagreement with Knowles.
Thank you so much for your help.
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As a former compositor and later desk top publisher (how things quickly changed in the 80's) in a career ran from 1958 to 2005, I can tell you that Chorlton & Knowles of Manchester began in the 1800's and was still going strong at least until the 70's (and maybe even later). I think the Moseley Street address was just an office where customer instructions were received and Newton Mill was the actual works. Like many printers in that era, they had a secondary name. In their case it was The Mayfield Press, which suggests they were in the Mayfield area close to London Road Railway Station (now Piccadilly).
I suppose that it is just possible that the Knowles involved with Ramshaw had some connection with the C & K company, but I doubt it.